1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to knives, and more specifically, to a device for locking a knife, specifically a butterfly knife.
2. Background of the Invention
A butterfly knife generally has a blade, a first and second handle component hinged to the blade, and a latch. The latch includes a swinging portion coupled to a distal end of the first handle component and a receiving slot at a distal end of the second handle component. The latch works by having the swinging portion fittingly engage into the receiving slot to be able to lock the knife into an open and usable position and to also be able to lock the knife into a closed and stored position.
A latching mechanism used in conjunction with a butterfly knife may be cumbersome to latch and/or unlatch. Furthermore, the latch may become loose and will not properly hold the knife in either the open or closed position. An unreliable latch may cause the knife to unexpectedly open or close, thus leading to the injury of the user or to others. Also, it is desired that these knives be easily and quickly opened or closed by the user, especially in instances such as emergency and/or combat situations. It is a continued need and desire to provide latches or locks for butterfly knives that are more simplistic, easier, and safer to use. Furthermore, devices or components for helping the user move a butterfly knife between the open and the closed positions are continuously needed and desired as well.
Therefore, a need existed to provide a more reliable device for locking a butterfly knife. The device should be more simplistic, less cumbersome, and more reliable to use than prior art latches. The device must provide further safety and less hazard to the user and to others. The device must also be able to be moved relatively quickly between the open and closed positions.